Prenatal and postnatal maternal leucocyte ascorbic acid concentrations.

Leucocyte ascorbic acid was measured in 79 pregnant women in the 34th to 38th week of gestation and on the first, and third or fifth days post partum. No differences were found for time of year or age of the subjects. There was a significantly lower vitamin C status in social classes IV and V. The leucocyte ascorbic acid concentration fell significantly on the first day post partum and rose again to initial values by the fifth day. In late pregnancy 40 per cent of all subjects had leucocyte ascorbic acid concentrations less than the lower limit of normal (100 nmol/10(8) leucocytes). This rose to 75 per cent on the first day post partum.